Boat.



Patented lan. 2, i900. C. H. SAWYER.

BOAT.

(Application flled June 19, 1899.)

(No Model.)

. 5. Q U m\ w v @FL o M N H O G T.V. T. 000m. N ...A W l N M V 6 H w w mn@ Q N N Q 3 W E Y m Q m. B A H c CHARLES ll. SAIVYER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OFONF- HALF TO ANDREV ANDERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,232, dated January 2, 1900.

Application filed June 19l 1399, Serial Noz 721,026. (No model.)

To LZ/Z LL/72,0712, t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SAWYER, oit' Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to boats for conveying freight or passengers from place to place and in which a gas or similar compact engine is particularly adapted for the motive power.

The objects of the invention are to provide means whereby the boat may be driven through the water at a high rate of speed, and to provide a boat that shall be strong and durable in construction, though simple and economical to manufacture.

The invention consists generally in a boat having its hull or lower portion provided with an inclosing shell or casing adapted to revolve about the hull in a series of wings or spirals provided upon said shell and means contained within said hull for driving said shell.

Further, the invention consists in an ovalshaped hull, a similar-shaped shell inclosing the same, water-tight joints being provided between said hull and the ends of said shell, a series of wings or spirals provided on said shell, a circular track provided between said shell and said hull, trucks arranged within said hull and resting upon said track, and means for driving' said truck.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Intlie accompanyingdrawings,forniingpart of this specification, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a boat or vessel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the oval or cylindrical portion of the hull of the boat or launch. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a construction of the water-tight joint between the hull and the revolving shell.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the hull of the boat or launch comprises a middle oval or substantially cylindrical portion 2, slightly tapered at its end and provided at its for ward end with the upright extension 3 and at its rear end with a similar extension 4,

whercon the rudder 5 is supported. The portion 2 of the hullis open at each end, and access may be had to the interior of the hull down the extensions 3 and 4 and through the open end of the middle portion. The hull of the boat may be constructed of wood or metal, as preferred, and its middle portion is covered by a planking 6, which terminates at the inner edges of the'parts 3 and fi. Above the planking (3 there may be another deck laid, if preferred, or the deck 6 may be regarded as the upper deck of the boat and suitably railed and protected from the sun. The tops of the extensions 3 and 4 extend above the part 2 of the vessel, so that a space is formed between said part and the deck 6, and as a means for driving said boat I prefer to provide a shell 7, inclosing the hull 2 and having open ends opposite the open end of the hull and separated therefrom by suitable bearings comprising an inner ring 8 at each end of the hull, having an annular ledge or shoul* der 9 and secured to the surface of the hull. Outer rings 10 are provided on the shell 7 at each end and have annular grooves 11 in their faces to receive balls 12, provided between said rings 9 and l0. Rings 13, of leather or other iiexible material, are secured to the edges of the rings 12 and bear upon said rings 9, being held in engagement at all times with said rings by springs let, so that when the boat or vessel is in use a water-tight joint will be formed between the ends of the outer shell and the hull, and the passage of water into the hull or into the space between the hull and the revolving shell will be prevented.

Upon the outer surface of the shell 7 I pro vide a series of spirals or wings 15, having their ends secured to the surface of the shell and winding about the same, so that when said shell is revolved the spirals will engage the water and cause the boat to attain a high speed. In order that the shell 7 may be revolved, I prefer to provide a gasolene-engine 16 within the inner hull 2, and trucks 17, having their edges projecting through openings 18 in the inner hull and resting upon the annular track 19, provided upon the inner surface of said shell 7 between said shell and the inclosed portion of the hull. Suitable connections are provided between the trucks 17 IOO and said engine for driving said truck, and the friction of the same upon the track 19 is sufficient to revolve the shell 7 at a high rate of speed. I prefer to provide guide-Wheels 2O in front and inV the rear of said truck 17 and connected with the axle of the same, and I also prefer to provide angle-iron braces 21 between said engine 16 and the top of the curved portion of the hull.

The operation of my improved boat or launch is as follows: The engine having been started, the trucks 17 will revolve with,their axle and engaging the track 19 will cause the shell 7 to revolve also, and the wings or spirals provided on the outer surface of the shell will be forced through the water and cause the boat to move forward at a great speed. Owing to the ball-bearing connection between the ends of the revolving shell and the hull of the boat very little power will be required to revolve the shell, and the water-tight joint provided between the shell and the hull, as

heretofore described, will eectually prevent any water leaking into the vessel or into the space between the hull and the revolving shell. Upon reversing the engine the revolving shell will be driven in the opposite direction and the forward motion of the boat arrested, and whenever desired the boat may be backed by reversing the normal direction of revolution of the inclosing shell.

Obviously in many respects the details of my invention may be modified, and I do not therefore desire to confine myself to the construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The combination, with the hull having an oval middle portion, of a revolving shell inclosin g said oval middle portion, spirals provided upon said shell water-tight joints between said shell and said hull, a circular track provided between said shell and said hull, trucks provided within said hull and resting upon said track, and means for revolving said truck, substantially as described.

2. A boat or vessel, comprising a hull substantially cylindrical in cross-section having at each end upright extensions through which access maybe had to the interior of said hull, a deck supported upon said extensions and extending over said hull, a shell inclosing said hull between said upright extensions, water-tight joints bein g provided between the ends of said shell and said hull, a series of spirals provided on the surface of said shell, and means for revolving said shell, substantially as described.

' 3. In a boat, the combination, with a hull, substantially cylindrical in cross-section, of a revolving shell inclosing said hull, watertight joints being formed between the ends of said shell and said hull, a series of spirals provided on the surface of said shell, a track provided onthe inner surface of said shell, and a friction device arranged wit-hin said shell and engaging said track and whereby said shell is revolved, substantially as described'.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of June, 1899.

CHARLES H. SAWYER.

In presence of M. C. NOONAN, RICHARD PAUL. 

